Lonoke County, Arkansas; Lonoke County Judge Doug Erwin; and Lonoke County Quorum Court Members Joe Farrer, Jannette…

Summary

The court held that the County remained bound by the 1991 agreed order requiring it to share specified district-court salaries and expenses because the amended funding statute preserved agreements between contributing political subdivisions. It affirmed the mandamus writ but reversed the attorney-fee award because Arkansas law does not authorize attorney fees in a mandamus action. Justice Danielson concurred while urging legislative clarification, and Justice Baker, joined by Justice Goodson, would have vacated the writ because the amended statute created a new payment allocation that did not preserve the prior agreement.